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INDIANAPOLIS – It's the group that was the supposed to be the weak link of the offense for the Indianapolis Colts. The group that included a rookie and second-year player at guard and a player signed a week before the season began to start at center. But through the three games, the offensive line's continuity has been strong enough that the same concerns centered around that group last season are no longer coming up.  "The game is won in the trenches," guard Hugh Thornton said. "We're a selfless group. We don't want to touch the ball, we don't want score. We just want to help us score as a team and make sure the offense is successful. We're a prideful group. We take it on ourselves to win up front and give everybody else a chance."
Quarterback Andrew Luck is surrounded by the best group of playmakers that he's had in his young NFL career, but none of that would matter if the offensive line didn't open up holes for running back Trent Richardson and Ahmad Bradshaw and block well enough for Luck to find his receivers. The offensive production has been there for the Colts. They're averaging 31.7 points, 303.7 yards passing and 122.3 yards rushing through the first three games of the season. Luck has been sacked five times with three coming in the season opener at Denver and one of his two sacks against Jacksonville came on the play after tight end Coby Fleener dropped what should have been a wide-open touchdown. "At the end of the day you're going to get judged by how you play," tackle Gosder Cherilus said. "Good, bad, you always get judged by that. We want to make sure the defense stays away from 12 (Luck). We have to keep him off the ground. And when a running play is called, it's our turn to have fun. Go at guys and dominate." There were already concerns at center because second-year player Khaled Holmes, who only played 12 snaps as a rookie, was supposed to start. Those concerns increased even more when Holmes went down with a high-ankle sprain on the Colts' first offensive series in their preseason opener on Aug. 7. But A.Q. Shipley, who the Colts signed off waivers from Baltimore on Aug. 31, has slid right in and anchored the offensive line. "I think it speaks to A.Q.'s personality as just a good, good dude, and he's a pro," Luck said. "He's going to prepare and go out there and do his all. I do think it helped him being here two years ago and just knowing some of the guys and the faces in the locker room and the place just makes it I think a little easier to adjust." Colts coach Chuck Pagano will have to make a tough decision at some point, possibly as early as this weekend against the Tennessee Titans. General manager Ryan Grigson spent the offseason defending his decision to go with Holmes as the starter instead of looking outside for a veteran player. But Shipley hasn't done anything to prove he doesn't deserve to continue to start. And the unit is playing well, so going back to Holmes -- if that's the case -- would be a risky move by Pagano. "That's a great question," Pagano said when asked about starting Holmes. "We'll obviously see where he's at Wednesday when we get back to practice from a health standpoint. Again, our guys have had success. We have over 500 yards (Monday) and over 140 on the ground, 160-some the week before on the ground, pass protection has been good. The guys are playing well right now."
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